5-7 years of manufacturing leadership experience in industrial sewing or related operations.
Experience in developing and implementing training or certification programs in a manufacturing environment.
Proven track record of improving operational metrics like safety, quality, and productivity without compromising employee engagement.
Strong multi-site leadership capabilities and the ability to bridge differences between locations.
Demonstrated experience in team building, coaching, and fostering accountability among managers and supervisors.
Servant leadership style with effective communication and relationship-building skills, potentially bilingual in English and Spanish.
Responsibilities
Lead and align operations across two manufacturing campuses while fostering a cohesive team environment.
Build strong relationships with employees through a visible presence at both Syracuse and Roxboro locations.
Develop and implement a formal training program emphasizing skill progression and career growth opportunities.
Coach managers and supervisors to promote accountability, provide feedback, and set clear expectations.
Maintain the positive existing culture while seeking opportunities for operational improvements.
Create standards that respect the unique strengths of each campus while fostering collaboration.
Utilize performance metrics and employee feedback to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
Benefits
Opportunity to lead and shape a robust training and development program.
Workspace in a stable environment with low leadership turnover and engaged employees.
Autonomy to make impactful decisions and connect operations meaningfully across locations.
Potential for personal and professional growth by building a legacy within the organization.
Hands-on involvement in a visible manufacturing role with products employees take pride in.
Full Job Description
We are looking for a Director of Manufacturing | Sewing to lead our industrial sewing and cushion operations across Syracuse, Indiana, and Roxboro, North Carolina.
This is not a turnaround assignment.
Both campuses have strong employees, capable leaders, and extremely low leadership turnover. The foundation is healthy. The opportunity is to listen, learn, connect two successful operations, and help good teams become even better.
This is a senior, hands-on manufacturing leadership role for someone who knows how to improve performance without losing sight of the people behind it.
You will lead with service, stay close to the work, and build the training and development structure that helps employees see what they can learn, what they can achieve, and where they can go next.
The Work You'll Love Doing
This is not a role for someone who only wants to lead from a distance.
We need someone who can set direction across two campuses, develop leaders, improve operations, and still spend meaningful time with the people closest to the work.
You will step into two stable Sewing operations with strong teams and a culture worth protecting. Your work will begin by listening, understanding what makes each location successful, and identifying where greater alignment can make both campuses stronger.
One of your most meaningful opportunities will be building a formal training and certification program for the department.
We love promoting from within. We want employees to see a clear path forward, supported by defined skill progression, in-house certifications, and development opportunities that prepare them for what comes next.
You will be trusted to lead that work, connect the two campuses, and create a shared vision for what great can look like.
Where You Will Make an Impact
Lead and align industrial sewing and cushion operations across our Syracuse and Roxboro campuses
Build strong relationships with employees, supervisors, and managers by maintaining a visible and meaningful presence at both locations
Develop a formal training program with defined skill progression, in-house certifications, and clear growth paths
Coach and develop managers, supervisors, and future leaders through clear expectations, consistent feedback, trust, and accountability
Protect the healthy culture already in place while identifying thoughtful opportunities to improve safety, quality, flow, labor planning, productivity, and the employee experience
Create shared standards where they add value while respecting the strengths, identity, and experience of each campus
Use performance data and employee insight to identify opportunities and build sustainable solutions
Partner with Operations, Human Resources, Safety, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain to remove barriers and support continued growth
Help employees understand not only how to perform the work, but how they can continue developing and building a career at POLYWOOD
What You Bring
You have experience in industrial sewing or sewn-products manufacturing, either through hands-on sewing experience or leadership of an industrial sewing department.
You have led at the Manager, Senior Manager, or Director level within an industrial sewing department or another manufacturing operation. We view leadership of an industrial sewing department as manufacturing leadership because that is exactly what it is.
You have helped create, implement, or meaningfully shape a formal training or certification program in a production environment. You understand how to translate knowledge into repeatable training, measurable skill development, and visible career opportunities.
You know how to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity without treating people like numbers.
You are comfortable leading across multiple locations. You know when consistency matters, when each campus needs flexibility, and how to bring two teams together around a shared direction. Most importantly, you are a servant leader who is hungry, humble, and smart.
You listen before assuming. You ask better questions. You give credit, accept accountability, and know that leadership is measured by what your team is able to accomplish and become.
Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish is a meaningful bonus. We are also interested in leaders who have demonstrated an ability to build trust and communicate effectively with employees whose primary language is Spanish.
What Makes This Role Special
You are building from strength. Both campuses have proud employees, capable leaders, and extremely low leadership turnover.
You can create a legacy. The training and certification system you build can shape careers and strengthen the department for years.
You will lead two campuses as one team. You will connect two successful operations, share what works, and help both locations become even better.
You will be close to the work. This is visible, hands-on manufacturing with a product people are proud to make.
You will have the freedom to listen before leading. You will have time to understand the operation, earn trust, and make thoughtful decisions.
You can make good even better. We welcome continuous improvement from leaders who care about people and believe good is the enemy of great.
If you are energized by strong teams, meaningful improvement, and the chance to build something that lasts, we would love to meet you.
As part of our commitment in creating a fair, efficient, and consistent hiring process we may use artificial intelligence (AI) to help our recruiting teams organize, summarize, and analyze information provided by candidates, including resumes, application responses, and other materials submitted during the application process.AI may be used to identify patterns, highlight relevant skills, and experience, and assist in comparing a candidate's qualifications with the requirement of a specific role. These tools are to improve efficiency and consistency while supporting more informed hiring decisions, which will ultimately be made by the hiring team.
